Love at the Well
by Eternal Fire
Summary: I think you can guess by the title...


Love at the Well

Disclaimer:I don't own any of these characters.They are the property of Squaresoft Inc. This story is intended for non-profit use only.This contains some spoilers so if you haven't finished FF7 don't read this!Thanks and enjoy!

Love at the Well

"Cloud, dinner is ready!" a cheery voice called out the window.When there was no response, the source of the voice walked to the front door and popped her head outside.

"Huh, where is he?" The woman tossed some of her raven hair over her shoulder and walked outside of the house.Hearing a noise coming from down the street, she trotted off looking for a certain spiky-haired young man.

She found him at what could be considered the edge of town.After meteor had been destroyed, she and Cloud had returned to Nibelheim.The people who Shinra had placed there had long since left the area.With the pain of past memories burning in his mind, Cloud had refused to let Nibelheim stand any longer and torched the entire town.Every building was burned to the ground but one- her home.

She had asked him why, and he replied that he didn't want her to lose her home twice.Besides, they needed a place to stay.Since then, she and Cloud had been roommates.

Cloud stood before a large boulder holding the Buster Sword in his hands.He was unaware that he had a visitor and continued with his exercises.Closing his eyes, he summoned his strength and concentrated.Energy waves pulsed around him as he powered up, and he raised his sword.

Cloud charged towards the boulder at top speed.He slashed through it from left to right so fast that it was a blur, then he reversed and slashed from right to left back through it, and finally slashed a horizontal path straight across the rock face.The boulder exploded into a thousand pieces, and Cloud grinned at his handiwork.

"Lookin' good!" a familiar voice cheered as she clapped her hands.The young warrior turned his head to see his best friend smiling at him.Her long, raven black hair flapped in the cool evening breeze, and her knee-length blue sundress made her look as lovely as ever.

"Hey Tifa, what's up?" Cloud strapped his sword onto his back and headed towards her.

"You're still practicing?" she teased.

"Yeah, I guess I'm used to fighting all the time.Plus, I want to learn how to use my higher-powered attacks all the time." Tifa looked at him curiously.

"What do you mean?What about the Cross-Slash you just did?"

"Tifa…you know that I'm capable of doing much stronger attacks.But for some reason, I can't get back to the level of power that I used when we were fighting Sephiroth."

"Why would you want to?" Tifa asked with a worried expression. "Are you afraid that the fighting isn't over?" Cloud smiled and squeezed her hand; she was so sweet.

"No, it's not that.But if something or someone threatens this planet again, I want and need to be ready." Cloud squeezed her soft hand, and Tifa blushed slightly.He released it gently not wanting to embarrass her.

"I'm sorry…did you need me for something?" Tifa broke out of her thoughts of Cloud holding her hand long enough to comprehend his question.She put her hands on her hips and put a smug smile on her face.

"Yes, I've been calling you for the last ten minutes, Mr..I was trying to tell you that dinner is ready, but if you don't want to eat, that's fine with me," she huffed and set her chin in a classic stance of a pure snob.The expression almost made Cloud laugh, and Tifa tried hard not to giggle herself.

"Are you kidding?I wouldn't miss your food for the world; besides, I can't cook anyway so without you I'd be in big trouble." A bright smile crossed Tifa's face.

"So you need me huh?" Her lips quirked, and she cocked her eyebrow at him.This time, Cloud couldn't help but laugh.That expression looked so natural on Tifa that it was scary.He quickly became serious and smiled warmly at her.

"I'll always need you, Tifa…I'll always need you by my side." His statement made her face flush bright crimson, and her heart fly up into her throat.She turned her head and looked away from him shyly.

"Hey there…" A strong hand cupped her cheek and turned her towards him.Tifa saw the warmth in his mako, blue eyes, and her body shivered slightly. "…What happened to the Tifa that I know so well…what happened to that sassy woman of mine, hmm?" That got Tifa's attention immediately.Challenged issued.She grabbed his chin and squeezed his cheeks so his lips curled up like a fish's mouth.

"Who you calling sassy, you big dope!" Challenged accepted and returned.

"Okay…okay…I'm shorry…now lemme go…" Tifa released him and smacked him on the behind.

"Now come on, my food's getting cold!"

"Yes ma'am!" Cloud saluted.Tifa shook her head, and Cloud followed her back to the house.

Later that night, Cloud walked outside to get some fresh air and saw Tifa standing on the platform by the old well.She was leaning against the old wooden cylinder and silently gazing up at the stars.He quietly made his way over to join her.

Tifa took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.It had been a long time since she'd had a quiet evening.In Midgar, there was always something going on.Even in the slums, people were up and about all hours of the night.But here, in this little corner of the planet, it was quiet and serene.Stars filled the night sky, and you could see every one of them clearly.Tifa sighed as she realized how much she'd missed seeing the stars.They always reminded her of that night…the night when she and Cloud had been here at the well…the night just before he'd gone away.

"Tifa?" A hand touched her shoulder and brought her back to reality.She turned her head and found a gorgeous pair of blue eyes shining at her.It was him.

"Whatcha thinking about?" She smiled at him warmly.

"Nothing much."

"Remembering old times?" His question caught her a little off guard, and she turned towards him.Her eyes gave him his answer, and Cloud nodded his head.

"Do you remember the last time we were here?" Tifa asked.

"In every detail.But you know that don't you?" he answered.She nodded her head in agreement; Tifa remembered seeing his memories of their night here.He'd remembered everything- the well, the stars, the moon, and her.

"I remember what I told you that night.How I was gonna join Soldier and become stronger.I wanted to make you notice me- at least somewhat.I knew that you had every guy in town pawning over you, and I didn't want to bother you."

"You never bothered me, Cloud!" Tifa interjected.He smiled at her.

"I know that, Tifa, but I guess I felt that I wasn't good enough to be around you.I needed to better than I was…stronger…that's why I wanted join Soldier."

Cloud stopped talking and leaned back against the old well.Tifa watched him carefully.She remembered how he'd told her all this when they were in the Lifestream together, and yet, now, he was telling her a second time.

"Cloud…I remember seeing your memories of what happened to you.You just wanted to fit in with the rest of the kids, but you were tossed away.Now though, you've grown into a strong warrior; a warrior who saved the planet if you recall." Cloud chuckled at her statement; yes, he was no longer the 'runt of the litter'.

"You know, Tifa, when I came back to Nibelheim with Zack and Sephiroth, I saw you sitting by the entrance, waiting to see if it was me who was arriving.I remember seeing you, and you…you…" Cloud turned towards his best friend, "…you looked so beautiful, Tifa.You were like a jewel shining in the center of a desert."

Tifa felt her cheeks flush as he complimented her; her heart was pounding as she listened to him tell her his deepest secrets once again.

"I saw you sitting there and thought about how I'd failed in what I wanted to do.I knew that you wanted to see me, and I wanted to see you too, but I couldn't face you.I couldn't face you because I hadn't changed.I was still the runt that I'd been so many years earlier, and I hated myself for letting you down."

"Cloud!" Tifa suddenly grabbed his hands and held them tight. "I wouldn't have cared who or what you were; I just wanted to see you again; I'd missed you so much." The young warrior opened his arms and wrapped her in a gentle hug.

"Thank you, I needed to hear that, Tifa." He released her slightly and stared down at her.

"Even though I was afraid to see you, Tifa, fate had us destined to meet once again.That day at the Mako reactor when Sephiroth threw you down those stairs…" Cloud clenched his fists, and his muscles tightened.

"…I was there…I saw you falling and there was nothing I could do.It tore at my heart because you represented my home to me; it was like my town and my life were being taken from me.When I saw you lying helpless on the floor, I felt anger welling up inside me; it was pure, unadulterated rage.I didn't care who Sephiroth was or how powerful he was; he was going to pay for touching you."

"Cloud, I…" Tifa didn't know what to say; her eyes were starting to fill with tears as she listened to him pour out his heart to her.

"I've never felt like that before, Tifa.It was like I was consumed with an unending desire to protect you.I charged at him and stabbed him square in the gut.After I'd hurt him, I felt my pain going away, and I realized that your safety was more important than revenge.But…"

Cloud calmed himself, and he opened his hands.

"…When I was going to carry you back to town, I saw Sephiroth; he was still alive and trying to leave with the Jenova specimen.It was at that moment when I decided that I wouldn't let him hurt anyone else. No one deserved to have their friends and loved ones slaughtered like animals."

"I went to confront him, and Sephiroth thrust his sword right up under my chin.He ordered me to back away, but I wasn't afraid of him.Something inside me told me that I could beat him so I grabbed his own sword and flung him over the edge and into the Mako reactor." Cloud finished his story and looked up at the stars.

"Know something, Tifa, I thought that I didn't have anything to live for, but when I saw him destroy this town and nearly destroy you, I realized that it didn't matter if I was noticed or not.Being noticed was not what was important, knowing that you're protecting the ones that you care about is what's important."

"Oh Cloud…you had to learn everything the hard way!" Tifa had tears dreaming down her cheeks, but Cloud wiped them away.

"No, Tifa, don't cry for me; I don't anymore tears shed in vain.You know, I never got a chance to thank Aeris or you for helping me."

"Huh?" she gasped. "What are talking about?"

"Both of you helped me patch up the holes that I had in my personality." Tifa lowered her head shyly and stared down at her feet.

"Well, I know that Aeris was a big help to you, but I really didn't do that much." Cloud cupped her chin and lifted her head back up.

"Tifa, you're right.Aeris was my guide, but that wasn't all I needed.I needed hope to show me where to go and that hope was you.Aeris merely showed me the path, but you helped me walked down it.I want to say thank you." Cloud's fingertips brushed against the softness of her cheek, and she nuzzled her face against his palm.

"Cloud…I…I…you're welcome." Tifa didn't know what to say!She'd never expected him to say something like that to her.She'd always thought that Aeris had played the biggest part in helping Cloud overcome his difficulties, yet he'd just told her that she was the one who helped him the most.

Cloud drew Tifa into his arms and buried his face in her long, raven hair.He breathed in deeply, and he could smell the scent of her vanilla-flavored shampoo.She was so soft…like an angel brushing her wings against him.

"Tifa?"

"Yes?" she asked looking up at him.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry for not telling you this earlier.I've wanted to tell you these things for a long time, and now that I have, I feel that you deserve to know my deepest secret of all."

"What do you mean, Cloud?" The young warrior encased her in his arms and brought her so close that their breathing intermingled.

"Tifa, you're my best friend, and you always will be, but I want you to be more than that.I want you to be the only woman in my life.I wanna dream about you every night and wake up every morning to find you next to me.I wanna hold you in my arms every second of every day and show you what you truly mean to me…" The young woman's heart was pounding so hard that it nearly exploded out of her chest.

"…Tifa, what I'm trying to say is that I've fallen for you.I love you and want to be with you for the rest of my life.If you don't feel the same way, I understand, but I just…"

Tifa jumped up and kissed him.She grappled her arms to his neck and hung on for dear life.His arms tightened around her, and he let out a satisfied groan of approval.

"…felt like you deserved to know," Cloud finished when she let him up for air.She looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"Oh Cloud, I've been in love with you for such a long time.I…I didn't want to say anything because I knew that you liked being independent and free-spirited."

"Yes, Tifa, I do, but I love you more.Nothing that I have or will have will ever matter to me as much as you do."

"I love you, Cloud Strife." Now that she was able to say them, the words flowed from Tifa's lips.

"I love you, Tifa Lockheart." He picked her up and brought her lips to his.The two young warriors and saviors of the planet locked into a passionate kiss that stole them away into their own private realm.The stars twinkled overheard as Cloud and Tifa fulfilled their hopes and promises at 'their well'.

Author's Notes:It's been a long time since I've done FF7 piece, but my mind kept screaming to write it so I did.I hope you liked it and remember to R&R for me.I appreciate it.


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